Fluid-pressure engine.



W. W. MA CFARRBN. FLUID PRESSURE ENGINE APPLICATION FILED JUNE 8, 1908 1,1 1 6,346 Patented Nov. 3, 1914.

7 SHEBTS-SHEBT 1.

w T SSES INVENTOR 'W, W. 'MAOFARREN FLUID PRESSURE ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 8. 90s.

1,1 1 6,346. Patented Nov. 3, 1914.

FIGA.

WITNESSES INVENTOR W. W. MACFARRBN.

FLUID PRESSURE ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 8,1908

1,1 1 6,346. Patented Nov. 3, 1914.

7 SHEETS' SHEET 3.

HTNESSES INVENTOR.

@MMA- W. W. MACFARREN.

FLUID PRESSURE ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 8,1908.

1,116,346. Patented Nov. 3, 1914.

7 SHEETS-SHEET 6.

WIT ESSES.

INVENTOR A r N 6/3. BM K m I W. W. MAGPARREN. FLUID PRESSURE ENGINE. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 3, 190a.

Patented Nov. 3, 1914.

7 SHEETSSHEET 7.

iNVENTORl WMZZ, W fi z /w UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE.

FLUID-iR-ESSURE ENGINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 3, 1914.

Application filed June 8, 1908 Serial No. 437,391.

To all whom it may concern."

Be it knownthat I, IVALTER \V. Mac- FARREX, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Fluid-Pressure Engines, of which the following is, a. specification.

My invention is applicable to stationary. marine, or locomotive engines, using steam or compressed air as a working fluid. It can be applied to any fluid pressure engine working under variable loads, in which the fluid pressure is generated outside of the working cylinder and used expansively therein. Certain of the mechanical features are also applicable to other types of engines.

The specific object of my invention is to obtain complete expansion of the working fluid at each stroke of the piston, so that all the elastic force of the propelling fluid is utilized.

As all air and most st am engines QXilllllst. into the atmosphere, I will describe my invention as obtaining c. :pansion practical y to atmospheric pressure, but it will be understood that in the case of a condensing steam engine, exhausting into a partial vacuum, the expansion can be carried to that point, or it for any reason it is desired to exhaust against a pressure above atmosphere this can be done with equal facility; in fact, the most econon'iical point of cut-oil can be obtained and automatically maintained to suit the condition of operation.

.As the governing of steam and compressed air engines is similar in principle a description of my improved mechanism as applied to steam engines will also cover its use as applied to compressed air engines;

the only difference being those inherent in the two fluids, requiring different points of cut-off to obtain complete expansion, as is well understood by engineers and others versed in the art.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a diagram of a card produced by an engine govciled by throttling the entering steam pressure and having a fixed cutoil'; Fig. 2 is a similar card produced by an engine working under uniform steam pressure with a varying cut-otl'; Fig. 3 is a similar card produced by an engine embodying my invention; Fig. -l is a side view, partly in section, of a steam engine of common form embodying my invention; Fig. 5 is a side elevation partly in section of a practical compressed airmotor, embodying my invention; Fig. 6 is a sectional elevation of the same on the line VI-VI of Fig. 5 ;'F i g. 7 is in part an end view and in part a vertical section of the same motor on the line VII- VII of Fig. 5; Fig. 8 is a horizontal section taken through the valve casing of said motor on the line VIII VIII of Fig. 5; and, Figs. 9, 10, 11 are detailed views showing an automatic means for shifting the control valve.

In the earlier days of steam engineering the method of overning in common use was by throttling tie pressure of the steam entering the cylinder, either by hand or by a throttling governor, and both these methods are in extensive use at the present time. This method is illustrated by Fig. l which represents an indicator card, approximately such as would be produced by such an engine. XY is the atmospheric line. Ordinates to this line represent pressures above atmosphere, or gage pressure, and abscissa. measured parallel to KY represent portions of the stroke, the whole stroke being measured by AC; The point of cut-oil The method of governing is, as follows: Steam at the pressure AY is admitted at full pressure up to the point B and there cut-oil', from which point it expands usefully (that is producing power) to the point 0, when the exhaust valve opens and the remaining steam is discharged. In some cases this steam is used for other purposes, such as heating, drying, etc., but usually it The outline A B C C D A represents work been obtained from thes ame cylinder full of steamis shown comparatively by the dotted area C E ()1 This represents work lost by incomplete expansion. As the load on the engine varies the governor will automuticallyreduce the pressure of the steam to the points A, A, A", A, etc., and produce the various cards indicated at A A A, etc. The card A B, E E O I) A shows the expansion carried below atmos 'ihcre, producing the negative loop I) C 11 This is to be subtracted from the positive end of the card to obtain the net work.

In Fig. 2, is illustrated the method of governing by varying the point of cut-otl'.

escapes directly into the air and is lost.

in such engines is usually fixed, as at B.-

and the additional work which could have as, extensively used in a class of engines known as automatic cut-oii' engines. These engines are universally controlledby a governor mechanism, usually complicated, which actuates the valve gear to change diagrams in Fig. 2, all of Which is understood in the art. It will be observed that a very early cut-off, as at B will produce acard with a negative loop, as'before indicated for the throttling governor,

It will be seen from an. inspection of Figs. 1 and 2 that an engine working under variable loads can only work with maximum economy (considering'pressure only) when the point of cut-ofi' is such that expansion is carried to the back pressure or nearly so. lVith steam, the condensation, re'clvaporation and other thermal changes occurring in the cylinder render it more or less impossible to state accurately just what the most economical conditions of operation are, but it will be evident from the foregoing, that ,With either of the methods above described for governing, there will be a certain cut-ofi' or pressure thatwill be most economical in the use of steam; that is, the .work obtained from a unit of steam at this cut-ofi or pressurewill be a maximum and consequently that all other points of cut-oil or amounts of pressure will be comparatively uneconomical. For compressed air motors the conditionsmay be stated more. definitely. To obtain maximum economy in an air motor, the-point of cut-off must be varied in be practically exact relation to the pressure so that expansion may always be carried just to atmosphere. The speed maybe fully controlled, either by varying the cut-off or by throttling; but either changing the point of cut-off with a. fixed initial air pressure or. throttling the air with a fixed point of cut-off is wasteful. For instance, with air at 1.00 lbs. gage pressure the most economical point of cut-off is about 2; of the stroke;

later cut-ofi' will exhaust above.atmosphere and wastepressure directly, and an earlier cut-off willproduce a negative loop and back pressure. Vith any fixed cut-off there is only one initial pressure just suited to that cut-off; a'higher pressure will-exhaust above atmosphere and a lower pressure will. produce the negative loop, and back pressure as before. My invention consists therefore. in. devices for varying'the point of cut-ofi and the pressure simultaneously andin such relation to each other that the most economical rate of expansion may constantly maintained over cylinderat maximum economy. If

wide variations in load. The cards producedby this method of governing are illustrated approximately in Fig. 3. Fluid of pressure AY is admitted up to the point B and'there'cut-off andallowed to expand *0 practically to atmospheric pressure at C.

.The work done is represented by the area.

A B C D-A and is practically all the work which can be obtained from the given amount of fluid and represents the maximum power which can be developed in the less power is required the pressure is reduced by a throttling governor or a throttle valve to A? and the point of cut-off automatically adjusted .to the point B, which brings the expansion line down to C as before. The card A B C D A is similarly produced. In all cases the expansion is automatically carried to atmosphereor to some other pre-.

determined point, of greatest economy. It will be noted that such an engine would have a practically silent exhaust, and generally the more noise the exhaust from a steam engine makes, the ,-more steam it is wasting. It will also be noted that in an engine governed as just described, the usual conditions are reversed and the earliest cutofi'lgives maximum power and vice versa. In practice it will be quite easy to design controlling elements and valve gears which will produce maximum economy over a range of load from fullload to for Q; load. As a further desirable feature it is possible to work the engine at an. overload considerably over the economical maximum, at a sacrifice of efiiciency. For instance, in an air motor, with 3% clearance, which would develop 50 H. P. at 2; cut-ofi' with 100:1): of air pressure, and 30 H. P. with A1 cut-off and 40gb: air pressure, if the full 100 lbs. of air be allowed to work at .44 cu't-o'fi' the power developed at the same speeds would be 75 II. P. or an overload capacity of 50%.

Having now disclosed the principle of my inventioml will describe means for obtaining these results in practice. I

Fig. 1 shows a steam engine of common form having a plain D slide valve. .The bed plate or frame is indicated by the nulneral 1, the cylinder by 2, the steam chest by 3, and the valve byt. The piston rod, crosshead, connecting rod and crank are indicated at 5, 6, 7 and,8 respectively. The eccentric 9 is connected by the rod 10 and 120 pin 11 to the slotted lever 12 which is mounted at its lower end on a pin13 supported by the bracket 11 bolted to the frame The slot in lever 12 contains a block oted by a pin 21 to '58, are mounted on the crank case.

4, a 1,1 were force in the air could beutilized and the expansion carried down toatmospheric pressure at all times. 7

Figs. 5, 6, 7 and 8, illustrate a design for a compressed air motor according to my invention. The crank .case 50 supports the crank shaft 51 in bearings 52, 53 and 54.

The crankshaft '51 carries a fly wheel 55.

r 65 and 66, connected respectively with the inlet passage 67, the interior of the cylin .ders, and the exhaust port 68. Each valve is provided with twocavities 69, arranged diametrically opposite each other. The valves are driven by a valve shaft 70 fitted to slide freely through them, and .having keys 71 engaging them.

Referring to Figs. 5 and 8, the left hand end of the valve shaft has a twisted squarepart 72; this is preferably formed by a milling process, the shaft being revolved as the milling cutter advances longitudinally thereof so as to form a helical surface. 'This .part 72 of the valve shaft 70 is in effect a screw thread with a, very long pitch. Around this screw end and'loosely fitting the same is a bevel gear 7 3 mounted to ro tate freely in a bearing 74 in line with the valve bushing s 63,'butheld from endwise motion by the collars 75 and 76. jMeshing with the bevel gear 73 is a bevel pinion 77 ower end of the shaft 78 is secured a mit er gear 81, meshing with the miter gear 82 se'-" the. crank shaft.

mounted at the upper end of a shaft 78 suported in the bearings 79 and'80. To thecured to the crank shaft 51. The miter gears 81 and 82 give an even' drive so that the speed of shaft 78 is at all timesexactly thev same as the speed of the crank shaft 51. The bevel pinion 77 has'justone-half the number of teeth of bevel gear 73 so that the speed of valve shaft'70 and valves 62' isat all times exactly one-half of the speed "of shaft 78 is the g0vernor83 having the weights 84 mounted oIi-the bell cranks 85,

and acting centrifug'allyto compress the spring 86 and'm'ove the sleeve 87 up and down on the shaft 78, and soimpart mo ticnto the lever 88 fulcrumed on the pin lower the valve rod 89 and thus raise or 90 which operates the governor valve '91. At the right hand side of the valve casings 61 is bolted the spring casing 92, to whose outer end is secured the control 'Mounted upon the vertical piston 94. .At'

bearing collar 95 secured to the end of the valve shaft by the" nut 70?. The piston 94 is provided with a ange 94 which bears against the control spring 96, the other end of the spring bearing against the inner end of the spring casing 92. Fig. 8 shows the air inlet from the governor valve at '97 whence air passes into the manifold 98 and thence through the ports 64 into the cylinders. From the manifold 98 a small pipe 99 is led to a point in the control cylinder 93 in such position that air is admitted at the back of the piston 94 and causes the same to move in against the resistance of the spring 96. This pipe is provided with the threeway valve 100 having the straightway port 101 and by-pass or relief port 102. This may be a common plug valve with an operating handle 103, which may be thrown by any convenient mechanism, as by the link 104. When the valve handle 103 and ports 101 and 102 are in the position shown on Fig. 8, the pressure in the control cylinder 93 backof the piston 94, is maintained practically equal to the pressure in the manifold 98 at all times. The area of the piston 94 and the resistance of the spring 96 are so proportioned relatively'to each other in conjunction with the pressure to be used on the motor, that the proper point of cut-off, which the valves 62 are capable of producing, will be produced when the air pressure suitable to that cut-off exists in the manifold 98. The. effect of moving the piston 94 is to slide the valve shaft 70 through the valves 62 and bevel gear 73, which action, owing to the peculiar construction of the: end ofthe valve shaft 72 and the in terior surface of the bevel gear 73, has the effect of changing the position of the valves rotatively with respect to the crank shaft and consequently, as will be readily under stood, of varying the point of cut-off and making the same earlier-pr later depending on which way the valve shaft 70 is moved.

The spring 96 must be so designed as to have an initial tension of an amount equal to the initial air pressure multiplied by the area of the piston 94, which will just balance these elements so that the point of cut-ofi' will be "maintained as long as the air pressure in the manifold 98 remains uniform. Any increment of pressure in the manifold 98, however slight, will cause the piston 94 to move out against the resistance of the spring 96,

and as previously explained, will change the pointofcut-ofi, making it earlier and earlier until the maximum pressure at which the motor is designed to run is reached. It will be understood,- of course, that-such an apparatus can be designed to workover any range of pressure; and Figs. 5, 6, 7 and 8 are'merely introduced to show a carefully designed construction fora specific form of motor. lit will be obvious that when handle cylinder will be exhausted into the atmos phere and at the same time the entrance of .more air from manifold 98 will be prevented so that the spring 96 will extend to its full amount, pulling the valve shaft to its extreme inner position and fixing or locking the valve shaft 70 so that the point of cutoil will remain at the maximum until air is again admitted to the control cylinder 93.

In Fig. 8 I have illustrated means for shifting the valve 100 mangally'but it would be advantageous to do it mechanically and automatically. I have, therefore, shown in Figs. 9,. 10 and 11 automatic means for throwing .the valve 100 to produce the results above described, which may be operated by the governor when a sufficient change of speed occurs in the engine. The governor 83 operates the sleeve 87 as previously described and by means of the connecting parts raises or lowers the governor valve stem 90 to control the. speed of the engine. The clevis 110 on the end of valve stem 90 is provided with lugs 111 which engage lugs 112 on bell'crank 113. The bell crank 113 is fulcrumed on the pin 114 and connected at its lower end by pin 115 to link 104 which operates the valve 100 as previously described. Space is left on each side of lugs 111, between lugs 111 and lugs 112 so that the normal speed controlling action of the governor does not affect bell crank'113; that is, the governor has. sufficient range to take care of ordinary changes of load without affecting the valve 100. However, if the valve 100 is open, as shown in Fig. 9 so as to put the point of cut-oil under the control of cylinder 93 and an excessive load should come upon the engine, the effect would be to reduce the speed of the governor so that the weights 841 would assume position close to the sleeve 87 and depress the same, causing the lugs 111 to be raised and through the connecting parts' to throw the valve lever 103 into the position shown in Fig. 11, so that the control cylinder 93'wou1d cause the engine valves 62 to produce the maximumpoint'ofeutpfi' and allow the engine to develop its maximum power. As soon as the load lesssenedand the governor gained speed the weights 84 wouldfly out, overcoming the resistance of the spring 86 and cause the lugs 111 to lower, quickly, thus throwing the valve 100 into the position shown in Fig. 9 and restoring the normal operating condition with automatic variable cut-ofl' to produce the maximum economy.

What I claim is: 1. A fluid pressure engine comprising in combinatiom'means for regulating the pressure of the entering fluid, and means operated by pressure derived from fluid which has passed the first named means ranged to vary the point of cut-ofl' in such relation to the stroke" as to permit expansion to be carried substantially to a uniform point before exhausting.

L A fluid pressure engine comprising in combination, means for regulating the pressure of, the entering fluid, and means operated by pressure derived from fluid which has passed the first named means and arranged to' advance the point of cut-off on increase of pressure and delay the point of cut-oil on decrease of pressure.

3. A fluid pressure engine comprising in combination, an automatic device for regulating the pressure of the entering fluid, and a supplementary device operated by pressure derived from, fluid which has passed the automatic device and arranged to advance the point of cut olf on increase of pressure and delay the point of cut-oil on decrease of pressure to thereby permit expansion to be carried to practically a uniform point before exhausting.

4. A fluid pressure engine comprising in combination, an automatic throttling governor controlling the speed of the engine and arranged to regulate the pressure of the entering fluid, and means operated by prcssure derived from fluid which has passed the governor and arranged to vary the point of cut-ofl' in such relation to the stroke as to permit expansion to be carried substantially to a uniform point before exhaustion. p

5. A fluid pressure engine comprising in combination, an automatic throttling governor arranged to automatically regulate the pressure of the entering fluid to control the speed, and means actuated by pressure derived from fluid winch has passed the gov- .ernor and arranged to advance the point of cut-ofl' onincrease of pressure and delay the point of cut-ofi' on decrease of pressure.

6. A fluid pressure engine comprising in combination, a throttling device arranged to control the'pressure of the entering fluid, and a supplementary device arranged to vary the point of cut-ofl in fixed relation to variations of pressure, and means for rendering said supplementary device inoperatlvfl. if

7. A fluid pressure engine comprising in combination, a throttling device arranged to control the pressure of the entering fluid, means'operated by pressure derived from fluid which has passed the throttling device and arranged'to vary the point of cutofi in fixed'relation with variations of pres sure, and means for rendering said last named means inoperative.

combination, an automatic throttling governor arranged to control the pressure of the entering fluid, a supplementary device arranged to be acted on by fluid which has l 8. A Hard pressure engine comprising in I plurality of passed the governor and arranged to varythe point of cut-d with variations of pressure and means for rendering said supplementary device inoperative 9. A governing mechanism for expansive fluid pressure'engine comprising means for varying the pressure ofthe motive fluid admitted thereto according to the speed of the engine combined with -means for varying the ratio of expansion in inverse relation to the pressure of fluid admitted by saidfirst named means,

'10. In a fluid pressure engine, a crankshaft, a Cylindrical rotary valve having a cavities in its circumference, each of said cavities being adapted .to effect the distribution of-fluid for a single cycle of a single acting cylinder, and means for rotating the-valve at a speed equal to unity divided 'by thenumber of cavities in the valve multiplied by the speed of the crankshaft. V

, 11. In a fluid pressure engine, a crankshaft, a continuously rotating cylindrical valve having a'painof diametrically opposite' cavities in its circumference, each of said cavities being adapted to effect the distribution of fluid for a single cycle of a single acting cylinder, and means for rotat ing' .thervalve at one half the speed of'the crankshaft r I 12; Inafluid pressure engine, a crankshaft aurotary valve having a pairof diametrically 'opposite cavities in its -circum- 'ference,-means for rotating the valve at one lialf'the speed of the crankshaft, and means whereby each of said cavities controls the admission, cut-off, exhaust, and compression of the working revolutions of the crankshaft.

"13. In afiuid pressure engine, a crankshaft, a rotary valve driven thereby having aplurality ofcavities in its circumference,

a casing surrounding said valve, an inlet port inqsaidcasing, a cylinder portin said casing, an exhaust port in said casing, and means whereby either of said cavities may first connect the inlet port andthe cylinder port, and second,.connect the cylinder port and theexhaust port.

14. In'a fluid pressure shaft, a -1rotary-.v-alve, a'valve shaft movable lengthwise through said valve and adapted to -drive the same, and means for changing the angiilar'position of the valve shaft with respect to the crankshaft to vary the point of cut-ofl. r

.15, In a fluid pressure engine, a rotary valve, a valveshaft movable lengthwise Pt through said valve and adapted to drive the same,.means for changingxthe angular advance of: he valve by endwise motion of the valve shaft and a controlling device operated by fluidupre'ssure for controlling the endwise motion of' the valve shaftv fluid during alternateengine, a crank- I 16. In a fluid pressure engine having a plurality of cylinders, a regulated fluid: pressure supply, inder, a valve shaft movable-lengthwise through said valves, and adapted to drive the same, means for varying the point of cut'off by endwise motion of the valve shaft, and a control cylinder operated by fluid pressure taken from the regulated supply to the cylinders for controllingthe endwise motion of the valve shaft.

17. Ina fluid pressure engine a inder, a crank-shaft, a valve regulating the pressure of the entering fluid to said power cylinder, a rotary valve to effect the distribution of the fluid to and from the power cylinder, a valve shaft driven from the crankshaft and adapted to drive the valve a rotary valve for each cylpower cyland to change its angular relation to thecrankshaft by an endwise movement, and a controlling device for said endwise movement of the valve shaft consisting of a control cylinder, a piston-therein, a spring opposed to said piston, a connection between said piston and the valve shaft, and a pressure connection between said control cylinder and the regulated pressure supply.

18. In a fluid pressure engine, a regulated pressure supply, a rotary cut-off valve, mechanism for varying the point of cut-0E,

a stationary control cylinder containing a piston, a spring opposing said piston, a connection between said piston and said cut-ofl' mechanism to vary the point of cut-off, and a pressure connection between the control cylinder and the regulated pressure supply.

19. A fluid pressureengine comprising in combination, a. throttling device arranged to regulate the pressure of the entering fluid to control the speed of the engine, and a device operated solely by pressure derived from fluid which has passed the throttlingv device,- for varying the point of,cut-off 1n inverse relation to the pressure of the fluid which has passed the throttling device.

20. In .a fluid pressure engine,

means'for regulating the pressure of theentering fluid to control the speed and means for changing the point of cut-off, the active elements in said latterm'eans comprising the regulated sition thereto.

21.111 a fluid pressure'engine, means for varying the point of cut-ofl comprising fluid pressure taken from the source operating the engine and a spring, and means for pro-5 tecti'ng said springagainst' changes of external temperature,

22. In afluid pressure engine, means for" regulating the pressure of the entering fluid to control the speed, mechanism for. changing'tlie point of cut ofl, a piston connectedto said mechanism, a cylinder for said} pis''"' ton, a pipe admitting the regulated pressune-z to one side of said piston to" move. the'same.

11E 1 fluid pressure and a spring acting in"oppo-"'f sure supply for actuating and a spring opposing the motion produced by said pressure. 7

2 A fluid pressure engine, comprising in combination an element for-controlling the speed of the engine and a second element controlled solely by the first element, for varying the point of cut-off.

A fluid pressure engine comprising in combination, an element auton'iatically actuated to control the speed of the engine and a second element controlledsolely by the first element for varying the point of cut-0H".

In a fluid pressure engine, means for varying the point of cut-off comprising fluid pressure taken from the source operat: ing the engine, a spring, and means for inclosing said spring in a bath of said operating fluid. i g

26. In a fluid pressure engine, a throttling device arranged toregulate the pressure of the entering fluid to control the speed, cutoli' controlling mechanism and means actuated solely by changes in the regulated pressaid cut-off controlling mechanism.

27. In a fiuid pressure engine, a throttling device, cut-oil controlling mechanism, a cylinder and its piston for actuating said cutl y l with a plurality of cylinders, a valve for each cylinder, and a single lhud pressure operated means for changing the points of cutofi on all of said valves together.

25'). A fluid pressure engine, comprising in combination an element for controlling the speed of the engine by regulating the pressure of the entering fluid and a second element controlled solely by the first element for regulating the (piantity. of fluid admitted to the cylinders at each stroke.

A fluid pressure engine, comprising in combination a pair of co-acting elements for controlling the entering fluid, one of said elements controlling the pressure of the entering fluid and the other controlling the quantity of fluid admitted to the cylinder and one of said elements being con trolled solely by the action of the other.

WALTER lV. MACFARREN.

\Vitnesses CHAS, ZODERMAN, E. B. BRIANT. 

